The World Factbook South America :: Venezuela Introduction :: Venezuela Background: Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New Granada, which became Colombia). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since 1959. Hugo CHAVEZ, president from 1999 to 2013, sought to implement his "21st Century Socialism," which purported to alleviate social ills while at the same time attacking capitalist globalization and existing democratic institutions. Current concerns include: a weakening of democratic institutions, political polarization, a politicized military, rampant violent crime, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples. Geography :: Venezuela Location: Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 66 00 W Map references: South America Area: total: 912,050 sq km country comparison to the world: 33 land: 882,050 sq km water: 30,000 sq km Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of California Land boundaries: total: 4,993 km border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km Coastline: 2,800 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 15 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands Terrain: Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Bolivar 5,007 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds Land use: arable land: 2.85% permanent crops: 0.71% other: 96.44% (2011) Irrigated land: 10,550 sq km (2008) Total renewable water resources: 1,233 cu km (2011) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 9.06 cu km/yr (23%/4%/74%) per capita: 358.6 cu m/yr (2008) Natural hazards: subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts Environment - current issues: sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall People and Society :: Venezuela Nationality: noun: Venezuelan(s) adjective: Venezuelan Ethnic groups: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people Languages: Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2% Demographic profile: Although poverty in Venezuela has declined during the CHAVEZ administration, dropping from nearly 50% in 1999 to about 27% in 2011, it remains high and some experts question how much of a role social expenditures have played in this poverty reduction. Progress in lowering poverty, income inequality, and unemployment may in fact be more closely linked to the rise and fall of prices for oil, Venezuela's dominant export. In the long-run, education and healthcare spending may increase economic growth and reduce income inequality, but rising costs and the staffing of new healthcare jobs with foreigners are slowing development. In the meantime, social investment has led to better living standards, including increased school enrollment, a substantial reduction in infant and child mortality, and greater access to potable water and sanitation. Since CHAVEZ came to power in 1999, more than a million predominantly middle- and upper-class Venezuelans are estimated to have emigrated. The brain drain is attributed to a repressive political system, lack of economic opportunities, steep inflation, a high crime rate, and corruption. Thousands of oil engineers emigrated to Canada, Colombia, and the United States following CHAVEZ's firing of over 20,000 employees of the state-owned petroleum company during a 2002-2003 oil strike. Additionally, thousands of Venezuelans of European descent have taken up residence in their ancestral homelands. Nevertheless, Venezuela continues to attract immigrants from South America and southern Europe because of its lenient migration policy and the availability of education and healthcare. Venezuela also has been a fairly accommodating host to more than 200,000 Colombian refugees. Population: 28,459,085 (July 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.6% (male 4,144,958/female 3,989,521) 15-24 years: 18.8% (male 2,686,366/female 2,664,062) 25-54 years: 39.5% (male 5,520,689/female 5,727,432) 55-64 years: 7.3% (male 993,176/female 1,094,586) 65 years and over: 5.8% (male 722,234/female 916,061) (2013 est.) Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 53.2 % youth dependency ratio: 43.7 % elderly dependency ratio: 9.5 % potential support ratio: 10.6 (2013) Median age: total: 26.6 years male: 25.9 years female: 27.3 years (2013 est.) Population growth rate: 1.44% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 Birth rate: 19.66 births/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 Death rate: 5.23 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 182 Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 Urbanization: urban population: 93% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) Major urban areas - population: CARACAS (capital) 3.051 million; Maracaibo 2.153 million; Valencia 1.738 million; Barquisimeto 1.159 million; Maracay 1.04 million (2009) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2013 est.) Maternal mortality rate: 92 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 80 Infant mortality rate: total: 19.75 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 94 male: 23.18 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.23 years country comparison to the world: 113 male: 71.12 years female: 77.5 years (2013 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.37 children born/woman (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 Contraceptive prevalence rate: 70.3% (1998) Health expenditures: 5.2% of GDP (2011) country comparison to the world: 138 Physicians density: 1.94 physicians/1,000 population (2001) Hospital bed density: 0.9 beds/1,000 population (2011) Drinking water source: improved: urban: 94% of population rural: 74% of population total: 92% of population unimproved: urban: 6% of population rural: 26% of population total: 8% of population (2000 est.) Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 93% of population rural: 54% of population total: 89% of population unimproved: urban: 7% of population rural: 46% of population total: 11% of population (2000 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA; note - no country specific models provided HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2013) Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 30.3% (2008) country comparison to the world: 26 Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 3.7% (2007) country comparison to the world: 98 Education expenditures: 3.6% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 124 Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.5% male: 95.7% female: 95.4% (2009 est.) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 14.3 years (2009) Child labor - children ages 5-14: total number: 404,092 percentage: 8 % (2000 est.) Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 17.5% country comparison to the world: 72 male: 15.1% female: 22% (2011) Government :: Venezuela Country name: conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela conventional short form: Venezuela local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela local short form: Venezuela Government type: federal republic Capital: name: Caracas geographic coordinates: 10 29 N, 66 52 W time difference: UTC-4.5 (half an hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 capital district* (distrito capital), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales (Federal Dependencies)**, Distrito Capital (Capital